Written Answers

Monday 20 November 2000

Scottish Executive

Autism

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek the release by the study’s authors of the data on which the epidemiological study of a possible association between measles, mumps and rubella vaccination and autism, commissioned by the Medicines Control Agency and published in The Lancet in June 1999, is based.

Susan Deacon: The epidemiological study published in The Lancet in June 1999 was an independent study commissioned by the Medicines Control Agency to investigate a possible association between measles, mumps and rubella vaccination and autism. The study found no evidence of a causal association.

  Although the study was funded by the Medicines Control Agency, the raw data are the property of the authors and are not held either by the agency or by the Scottish Executive.

  The study was accepted for publication in The Lancet only following a process of rigorous independent peer-review and it is not usual practice for peer-reviewed data to be subject to re-analysis by third parties. The Scottish Executive does not, therefore, propose to ask the independent investigators to release their data.

Autism

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the efforts of local authorities and local health bodies in relation to the early diagnosis and assessment of children with autism.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Learning Disability Review acknowledged the disparity across Scotland in assessing and diagnosing, and providing services to those with, autism.

  The review report, published in May, provides a new lead. It recommends that the Scottish Society for Autism and the National Autistic Society co-ordinate the establishment of a national service network to improve awareness and understanding of the needs of people within the autistic spectrum disorder. The network will provide access to specialist knowledge and training in both health and other fields. The network will be supported by the new Scottish Centre for Learning Disabilities which is also being set up under the review. Work is progressing on these developments.

  In addition, we are funding from the Mental Health and Well Being Development Fund, an innovative Multi-Agency Service for Children with Autism in the Borders which could serve as a model for services throughout Scotland.

Bridges

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, whether bridge replacement schemes, such as that for Montrose harbour, will be eligible for awards from the £70 million fund for road and bridge repairs.

Sarah Boyack: I refer Murray Tosh to the answer to question S1W-10435. The decision to fund a replacement bridge at Montrose harbour is a matter for the relevant local authority.

Consultation Papers

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is the practice of the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department to notify persons who have responded to a consultation paper when a related Bill has been introduced and pass their names to the relevant parliamentary committee so that the committee can invite responses to the Bill as introduced.

Rhona Brankin: There are no hard and fast rules about this issue. The policy is to consider the form of each consultation exercise individually and to ensure that we engage key interest groups while at the same time ensuring that the views of the Scottish public are taken on board.

Consultation Papers

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why those individuals who responded to its consultation paper on salmon conservation were not informed that the Salmon Conservation (Scotland) Bill had been introduced.

Rhona Brankin: A press release issued on the day of introduction of the Salmon Conservation (Scotland) Bill was copied for information to the 350 organisations that were sent the initial consultation paper. Copies of the consultation list, as well as a note of the individuals and organisations that responded to the consultation, were passed to the Clerk of the Rural Affairs Committee on 19 September.

Consultation Papers

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) organisations and (b) individuals responded to its consultation paper on salmon conservation.

Rhona Brankin: A total of 87 responses were received. 64 of these were from organisations and 23 from individuals.

Creative Industries

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail, with regard to the proposals for Pacific Quay as a centre for creative industries, (a) what funding has been and is being made available; (b) who will be resident and in occupation at the centre; (c) what the projected size is of the project; (d) what the intended start and completion dates are; (e) how it is proposed the centre will interact with a distribution or marketing network for the industry, and (f) what interaction the centre will have with the film industry and academic bodies.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Pacific Quay is one of the key infrastructure developments associated with the Creative Industries Cluster Strategy. £2.6 million has been identified in the operating plan for 2000-01 for infrastructure development on the part of the site owned by Scottish Enterprise. This is subject to Scottish Enterprise’s annual budget approval process. It is planned that Scottish Enterprise will expend on infrastructure such as site clearance, telecoms, and access and egress solutions over the next three to five years.

  It is envisaged that development of office and incubator facilities on the site will be undertaken in partnership with private companies with an interest in the digital media industries. Discussions are ongoing with a number of interested parties. Work is also being done in conjunction with Locate in Scotland to identify and target relevant potential inward investors to the site.

  Scottish Enterprise, in conjunction with its partners in the Creative Industries Cluster, has agreed that the vision for Pacific Quay is one that brings together broadcasters, facilities/post-production companies, interactive software/media companies, independent producers, internet/web designers etc.

  The cluster as a whole includes links with academic institutions, in relation to training and skills development and the commercialisation of research projects through the Proof of Concept Fund.

  Discussions regarding the film industry’s potential involvement with Pacific Quay are ongoing.

Digital Hearing Aids

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take regarding Fife Health Board’s refusal to provide digital hearing aids, with particular reference to young children with special educational needs.

Susan Deacon: Digital hearing aids are not suitable for all types of hearing loss. It is for the clinician in charge of a patient’s care to decide which hearing aid best meets their clinical needs and it would not be appropriate for the Executive to intervene.

  I understand from Fife Health Board that the board, Fife Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and the Scottish Section of the Medical Research Council Institute of Hearing Research are evaluating current procedures for selecting hearing aids and the effectiveness of a sample of digital aids. This project is due to be completed by February 2001.

Dog Identification Working Group

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10065 by Mr Frank McAveety on 9 October 2000, what the extent will be of any consultation on any proposals for change and, in particular, what groups would be involved and whether the general public will be able to comment.

Peter Peacock: Our intention is for any future consultation resulting from the working group’s report to be extensive with all interested groups, as well as the general public, being given the opportunity to comment.

Dog Identification Working Group

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10064 by Mr Frank McAveety on 9 October 2000, whether the observer at the Dog Identification Working Group took any part in the group’s deliberations and whether the observer provided the group with the views of the Scottish Executive.

Peter Peacock: No. The working group was set up by the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions and comprised of representatives of various animal and dog welfare groups. Our observer status was given on the basis that it would assist the Executive’s consideration of this topic.

Drug Enforcement Agency

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to provide a breakdown of the funding made available for the establishment and operation of the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive allocated £5 million in each of the years 2000-01 and 2001-02 for the establishment of the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency (SDEA). This provided start-up costs for the agency, funding for 100 additional officers for forces to tackle drug misuse at local level and provision for up to 100 additional officers for the agency. On 27 September, the Deputy First Minister announced in Parliament that an established and increasing baseline had been put in place for the SDEA. Funding of £6.5 million in 2002-03 and £6.7 million in 2003-04 has been secured.

Education

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were presented for examination in technological studies at each level in each of the last five years in each local authority area.

Mr Jack McConnell: Information on the number of pupils who were presented for examination in technological studies at standard grade and higher grade in each of the last five years in each local authority area is presented below.

  Table: Presentations in Technological Studies at Standard Grade and Higher Grade: 1995 to 1999

  





Standard Grade Presentations


Higher Grade Presentations




1995


1996


1997


1998


1999


1995


1996


1997


1998


1999




Scotland


5,978


5,258


4,897


4,282


3,649


1,191


1,190


1,142


976


992




Aberdeen City 


236


188


207


215


221


58


47


45


53


59




Aberdeenshire 


354


283


289


285


299


83


91


81


101


86




Angus 


154


139


107


98


106


26


30


47


26


41




Argyll & Bute 


132


115


130


116


99


27


36


36


24


12




Clackmannan-shire


68


60


58


42


70


30


23


23


17


22




Dumfries & Galloway 


173


140


164


107


99


30


33


22


22


9




Dundee City 


139


156


111


82


96


24


37


23


19


14




East Ayrshire 


113


104


107


120


58


3


17


19


23


22




East Dunbartonshire 


200


197


179


214


135


54


63


49


47


63




East Lothian 


60


70


58


56


49


26


31


26


28


28




East Renfrewshire 


85


63


50


54


36


8


9


7


12


7




Edinburgh, City


205


184


153


151


135


65


71


63


46


49




Eilean Siar 


58


30


28


40


19


6


10


11


5


14




Falkirk 


153


172


111


142


132


29


23


33


25


25




Fife 


363


305


334


245


215


80


82


74


82


79




Glasgow City 


543


485


394


333


260


77


71


60


38


61




Highland 


327


279


263


275


205


68


54


63


59


74




Inverclyde 


143


113


109


73


79


34


27


26


9


5




Midlothian 


120


92


63


72


65


40


33


33


26


25




Moray 


101


120


134


74


60


13


22


18


32


8




North Ayrshire 


217


175


180


145


101


34


41


53


29


24




North Lanarkshire 


458


437


360


252


237


75


50


47


33


29




Orkney Islands 


30


36


49


32


29


17


14


16


9


8




Perth & Kinross


179


130


151


128


105


52


39


49


31


42




Renfrewshire 


259


284


282


195


135


34


21


41


15


19




Scottish Borders 


158


112


110


102


88


34


39


14


34


25




Shetland Islands 


29


34


5


16


9


8


7


15


8


9




South Ayrshire 


112


101


110


83


69


34


19


31


17


17




South Lanarkshire 


400


330


323


294


211


71


84


51


46


53




Stirling


102


105


88


69


54


19


28


28


27


21




West Dunbartonshire


144


108


101


94


87


12


10


16


17


20




West Lothian 


163


111


89


78


86


20


28


22


16


22

Education

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools in each local authority area offer technological studies as an option in second year and what percentage of each local authority’s secondary schools this figure represents.

Mr Jack McConnell: Information on schools which offer technological studies options in second year is not held centrally.

Education

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many secondary schools in each local authority area do not have sufficient premises or facilities to offer technological studies.

Mr Jack McConnell: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Education

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be a criterion for the building of new schools that they have suitable facilities and premises to offer technological studies.

Mr Jack McConnell: The detailed design of new school buildings is a matter for the local authorities concerned, taking account of a number of factors including facilities necessary for the delivery of a curriculum range appropriate to local circumstances.

Education

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many qualified teachers of technological studies there currently are in each local authority area and how many such teachers there were in each local authority area in each of the last five years.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the age profile of technological studies teachers is currently and was in each of the last five years.

Mr Jack McConnell: No information is collected centrally on teachers specifically teaching technological studies. The information available on the teachers with a teaching qualification in technological education, which includes the subjects of technological studies, graphic communications, craft and design and practical craft skills, can be obtained from the statistical bulletin, Teachers in Scotland: September 1998, published in March 2000, which is in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Elderly People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9968 by Mr Jack McConnell of 19 September 2000, of the five responses concerning better provision for pensioners, how many of those advocated implementation of the Sutherland recommendations with regard to personal care "in full" and, with regard to the issues raised at away days regarding "properly funding care in the community", what the majority view was on the funding of personal care and which organisations’ representatives supported this view.

Angus MacKay: Five of the 172 written responses received to the Executive’s consultation document Investing in You concerned better provision for pensioners. Of these, one suggested the full implementation of the Royal Commission on Long Term Care for the Elderly recommendations. The other responses raised a range of issues including increased financial support to local authorities to enable them to provide better support for care for the elderly and care in the community, and provision of free long-term care for the elderly.

  The views expressed at the away days suggested that increased funding to provide better support to look after older people in their own homes and support for carers should be a key priority. These views were supported by representatives from the Prince’s Trust, Elderly Forum and Community Care Forum.

Environment

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific Scottish targets it has set regarding the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions over the next decade and how such reductions will be measured.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Executive is considering the responses to the consultation on the Scottish Climate Change Programme (SCCP), which ended on 2 June. I plan to publish the final SCCP in the near future. This will detail the action we will take in Scotland as a contribution to the UK Climate Change Programme, which is designed to meet the UK obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide, by 12.5% by 2008-12.

  The Executive, in conjunction with the UK Government, has a contract with the National Environmental Technology Centre to produce a disaggregated UK greenhouse gas inventory. This allowed us to report in the SCCP consultation, the 1990 and 1995 emission figures for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We will produce an annual disaggregated inventory with effect from 1998. The 1998 figures will be announced soon.

Ferry Services

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what projections it has for the number of vehicles per day using the proposed ro-ro ferry at Rosyth; where the traffic will come from, and what routes it will use to and from the ferry terminal.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The capacity of the ships proposed would allow 100 trucks and 120 private cars to be carried each way per day. Although the issue of access has been considered as part of the development of this project, detailed route planning for cars and trucks to and from the port has not been finalised. However, it is envisaged that the ferry would operate outside peak traffic flow times.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are currently employed in the fish processing industry, broken down by parliamentary region, and how many were employed in each region in each of the past three years.

Rhona Brankin: The most recent information available on current employment in the fish processing industry is provided in the following table. The information comes from the Scottish Production Database where the most current data is for 1997. For reasons of disclosure the information is for Scotland as a whole and is not broken down into regions.

  


Employment in the fish processing 
industry in Scotland.




Year


Total Employment




1995


7,600




1996


8,900




1997


8,900




  Definition: Total Employment

  This represents the average number of full-time and part-time employees on the payroll and the number of working proprietors employed during the year.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the economic value was of the fish processing industry in each of the last five years.

Rhona Brankin: The most current information on the economic value of the fish processing industry is provided in the table attached. The information comes from the Scottish Production Database where the most current data is for 1997.

  


Year


Gross Value Added 
at Factor Cost (£ million)




1993


98.8




1994


139.2




1995


121.2




1996


150.0




1997


154.5




  Source: Scottish Production Database (SPD)

  Definition: Gross Value Added at Factor Cost

  Gross Value Added is Gross Output less the cost of purchases and industrial & non-industrial services received, adjusted for net duties and levies, and changes in stocks.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what volume of white fish has been landed in each month of this year and what the total landed figures were for each of the last three years, broken down by species in each case.

Rhona Brankin: The information requested on the volume of whitefish landed in each month of this year (all vessels) for the main whitefish species – i.e. yearly landings of 20 tonnes or more – is provided in the table attached. The equivalent total landed figures for each of the last three years is available from Table 15 (UK vessels) and Table 24 (Foreign vessels) of the publication Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 1999 , which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

  


2000 Monthly landings of main whitefish 
species




Species


Jan


Feb


Mar


Apr


May


June


July


Aug


Sept


Grand Total




Blue Ling 


289


339


1,239


1,792


918


350


332


232


202


5,758




Bluemouth 


14


20


15


34


36


23


25


21


11


204




Catfish 


9


17


24


57


152


159


116


95


55


699




Cod 


1,439


1,651


1,634


1,536


3,136


2,812


2,413


2,615


1,758


19,741




Conger Eels 


10


8


8


7


7


4


6


7


8


71




Dabs 


3


4


5


2


6


3


3


3


2


34




Dogfish


188


271


377


328


407


252


254


250


181


2,832




Forkbeard 


74


57


95


83


61


39


48


52


38


563




Greenland Halibut


23


195


137


75


158


188


91


45


44


1,008




Haddock 


3,600


4,343


4,609


2,976


3,074


4,350


5,122


5,355


4,010


39,031




Hake 


174


105


140


212


656


1025


500


228


146


3,251




Halibut 


35


3


21


10


33


27


35


25


8


201




Lemon Sole


37


42


83


175


308


440


257


297


187


1,891




Ling 


521


624


846


809


901


777


642


527


445


6,248




Megrims 


227


180


382


316


357


367


285


324


175


2,696




Monks


1,091


978


1,106


1,097


1,160


951


884


953


706


9,246




Plaice 


100


89


100


120


323


391


203


188


191


1778




Pollack (Lythe) 


46


90


63


66


105


87


125


93


50


745




Redfish 


141


39


167


226


137


103


170


125


90


1,211




Roes 


32


61


27


26


9


0


0


0


0


155




Roundnose Grenadier 


417


234


224


530


1074


838


824


841


1161


6,496




Saithe (Coalfish) 


437


1,106


791


872


1,222


1,153


1,403


1,314


1,171


9,789




Sandeels 


0


0


687


1,436


2,354


3,908


709


541


0


9,635




Scabbardfish - black 


165


184


163


177


166


191


114


127


151


1,479




Sharks 


12


26


3


22


2


15


1


1


2


87




Turbot 


7


6


9


7


11


15


12


9


13


90




Tusk 


107


94


97


140


175


153


126


89


77


1,083




Whiting 


1,750


2,131


2,197


1,503


1,540


1,174


1,119


1,366


1,451


14,873




Witches 


149


122


210


196


264


286


189


185


106


1,767




Other flatfish 


11


13


17


13


12


12


13


17


14


126




Other or mixed Demersal 


55


38


51


54


61


57


49


52


46


482




Grand Total


11,161


13,072


15,527


14,898


18,824


20,152


16,073


15,976


12,499


143,271

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much government funding was made available to the fish processing industry in each of the last three years and what the nature was of any such funding.

Rhona Brankin: The following assistance was paid, by way of grant, to the fish processing industry in Scotland from the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance and the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department. This assistance was in respect of capital projects for the renovation or construction of new buildings and the purchase of plant and equipment.

  


Financial Year


£ million




1997-98


1.4




1998-99


2.6




1999-2000


3.5

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7968 by Mr John Home Robertson on 3 July 2000, when assistance will become available for the fish processing industry under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance; what plans it has for additional measures to assist the fish processing sector; whether these include any specific plans for assistance in response to the current level of white fish landings, and when any such additional assistance will be available.

Rhona Brankin: As announced recently we are making an additional £11 million in FIFG funding available for fisheries over the next three financial years. Aid for developments in the processing sector designed to help secure its long-term future will be one of the key funding priorities. Decisions on which projects to support will take account of all relevant industry factors, including the prospects for fish supplies.

  Arrangements for implementing the FIFG programme for the Highlands and Islands, which has been approved by the European Commission, are well under way and the aim remains to open schemes of assistance up to the industry before the end of the year. The plan for the rest of Scotland has yet to be approved by the Commission, but we expect that will follow soon.

Fuel Protests

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to Her Majesty’s Government regarding how the army might complement the contingency plans of the police relating to any future protests on the impact of fuel taxation and whether such plans will be made public.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive, through its membership of the Ministerial Fuel Task Force and the Civil Contingencies Committee, has been involved in discussions about how the military might assist the response to any future protests. While there are no plans for the army to support the police, there are contingency plans in place for the military to assist oil companies with the delivery of fuel should this be required and this has been widely reported in the press.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review its assessment of the likely estimated level of cardiomyopathy in the light of the letter to the Minister for Health and Community Care of 26 May 2000 from W J McKenna, Professor of Cardiac Medicine at St George’s Hospital Medical School in London given the difference in estimated level between this letter and the Executive’s press release SE01054/2000 on 11 April 2000.

Susan Deacon: The comments in Professor McKenna’s letter have been drawn to the attention of the Chairman of the Child Health Sub-Group of the National Screening Committee. The Sub-Group is keeping this issue under regular review, as it does with any other topic where the evidence base is still evolving.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the number of HIV cases in Scotland is, including the percentage increase over the past three years.

Susan Deacon: Details of the number of HIV cases to the end of 1999, both new and cumulative, can be obtained from the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH) annual report issued in April this year. This can be located at the following web address:

  http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/scieh/infectious/aidshiv/aidspdf/annualreport2000.pdf

Health

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the number of sufferers of Asperger’s syndrome (a) below and (b) above the age of 18 years, and what the equivalent figures were in (i) 1990 and (ii) 1995.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information is not available in the form requested.

  Incomplete information only is available and does not record the true prevalence of Asperger’s Syndrome. In many cases Asperger’s Syndrome will be the underlying condition of a patient but the data collected on GP or hospital consultations may record a related condition.

Meningitis

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many adverse drug reactions to the meningitis C vaccine have been reported in Scotland and how many of these were fatal.

Susan Deacon: Reports of suspected adverse reactions (ADRs) to medicines marked in the UK are received by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA). A report may describe more than one ADR in an individual.

  As at 29 August, the MCA had received 7,742 reports of 16,527 suspected adverse drug reactions to the meningitis C vaccines authorised in the UK. Each report relates to one patient who may have more than one suspected reaction. Of these, 625 reports of 1,329 suspected ADRs came from Scotland; none of these 625 reports were associated with a fatality.

Meningitis

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards the development of a meningitis B vaccine.

Susan Deacon: Research is under way to find an effective vaccine against meningitis Group B. Candidate vaccines have been developed and the Department of Health has funded phase 2 trials of these vaccines via the Centre for Applied Microbiological Research. The department is also investigating Group B vaccines in collaboration with the Dutch national vaccine manufacturer.

Mental Health

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people in the South of Scotland experiencing mental health problems which require hospitalisation have to share adult wards.

Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally.

Mental Health

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specialist provision exists in the South of Scotland for the hospitalisation of young people experiencing mental health problems.

Susan Deacon: At present, specialist provision exists at Ladyfield East Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatric Unit in Dumfries. Services for patients from Ayrshire and Arran are commissioned from Greater Glasgow Primary Care NHS Trust at Gartnavel Royal Hospital. Those for patients from Borders and Lothian are commissioned from the facility for child and adolescent psychiatry at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

Mental Health

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people in the South of Scotland experiencing mental health problems which require hospitalisation have drug-related problems.

Susan Deacon: The first table below shows episodes of inpatient care, based on admissions to non-psychiatric hospitals, of those up to the age of 19, with a mental and behaviour disorder, where there is also a mention of drug misuse.

  The second table shows episodes of inpatient care, based on admissions to Mental Illness Hospitals/Psychiatric Units, of those up to the age of 19, with a mental and behaviour disorder, where there is also a mention of drug misuse.

  Table 1: Admissions to Non-psychiatric Hospitals (Aged under 20)

  





1997-98


1998-99


1999-2000




Ayrshire & Arran


66


64


66




Borders


10


8


7




Dumfries & Galloway


13


12


11




Lothian (East)


2


7


5




Total


91


91


89




  Table 2: Admissions to Mental Illness Hospitals/Psychiatric Units (Aged under 20)

  

 

1997-98


1998-99


1999-2000




Ayrshire & Arran


25


25


31




Borders


8


2


6




Dumfries & Galloway


5


5


1




Lothian (East)


-


-


3




Total


38


32


41




  Notes:

  1. "Episodes" refers to the admission of a patient. Since the same patient may be admitted to hospital more than once during the course of one year, the number of individuals admitted may not be the same.

  2. The tables are not mutually exclusive, as a patient may be admitted to an acute general hospital then, in a subsequent episode, may be admitted to a psychiatric unit. Such patients will appear as episodes in both tables.

Ministerial Correspondence

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Children and Education will reply to my letter of 31 August 2000 regarding my constituent Mr T Durie.

Mr Jack McConnell: A reply has now been issued to the member.

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when a start will be made on applying a formula to general medical services as recommended in Fair Shares for All , the Arbuthnott Report, and how health inequality will be addressed by such a formula.

Susan Deacon: A start will be made in 2001-02 in applying a resource allocation formula to general medical services. In that year, £470,000 of additional money for general medical services will be distributed through the allocation formula recommended in the Final Report of the Arbuthnott Review. Implementation of the new formula will continue in subsequent years.

  The formula developed for general medical services takes into account the influence of deprivation and remoteness on the relative need for healthcare resources. By targeting resources on the areas of greatest need, the new formula will help to ensure that major inequalities in health can be tackled. More generally, the substantial increase in resources that we have announced for the NHS in 2001-02 will enable all health boards in Scotland to address the issue of health inequalities.

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the final Arbuthnott Report has recommended a reduction in adjustment to Shetland from a 10% increase to a 1.4% increase.

Susan Deacon: The Arbuthnott Steering Group carried out an extensive review of the data, the methods of analysis and the results in response to the issues raised during consultation on the first report on Fair Shares for All . In particular, the method of taking into account relative deprivation was revised to improve its robustness and transparency, and this led to some changes in the assessment of the influence of deprivation on each health board’s relative need for resources. In addition, the method of assessing the influence of remoteness has also been strengthened. Other changes include updating the analysis to take account of data for 1997-98 which was not available when the earlier work was carried out.

  Although Shetland’s share of resources for hospital and community health services and GP prescribing will be reduced under the new formula, they will continue to receive a level of funding per head of population during the lifetime of this Parliament that is well above the national average. They will also continue to receive substantial increases in their level of funding which will enable them to develop and improve services for their population. In 2001-02 their funding for hospital and community health services and GP prescribing will go up by 5.5%.

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the final Arbuthnott Report has recommended a reduction in adjustment to Orkney from a 20% increase to a 7% increase.

Susan Deacon: The Arbuthnott Steering Group carried out an extensive review of the data, the methods of analysis and the results in response to the issues raised during consultation on the first report on Fair Shares for All . In particular, the method of taking into account relative deprivation was revised to improve its robustness and transparency and this led to some changes in the assessment of the influence of deprivation on each health board’s relative need for resources. In addition, the method of assessing the influence of remoteness has also been strengthened. Other changes include updating the analysis to take account of data for 1997-98 which was not available when the earlier work was carried out.

  Although Orkney’s share of resources for hospital and community health services and GP prescribing will be reduced under the new formula, they will continue to receive a level of funding per head of population during the lifetime of this Parliament that is well above the national average. They will also continue to receive substantial increases in their level of funding which will enable them to develop and improve services for their population. In 2001-02 their funding for hospital and community health services and GP prescribing will go up by 5.5%.

Pig Industry

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in delivering aid to the pig sector.

Ross Finnie: After prolonged technical discussions between UK and European Commission officials, I am hopeful that the Pig Industry Restructuring Scheme will receive Commission approval by the end of November. If that timetable is met, then the Outgoers Scheme shall be open for applications from mid-December.

Planning

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will increase the statutory consultation period for community councils to make comments to local authorities on planning applications and Notices of Intention to Develop.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive has no plans to increase the statutory consultation period for community councils.

Public Bodies

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the public bodies for which each Department and Minister is responsible, giving the level of accountability to the Minister for each one.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of those small departments, non-departmental public bodies and agencies which it is responsible for in terms of both operational matters and policy framework, specifying in each case the Minister who is responsible.

Angus MacKay: The list of public bodies, including Executive, Advisory and Tribunal Non-Departmental Public Bodies, NHS Bodies, state-owned companies and public corporations, and the sponsor departments is given below. Under section 57 of the Scotland Act, the Scottish Executive operates on the basis of collective responsibility of the Executive as a whole.

  Details of ministerial powers of control for each of these bodies is not held centrally but is contained within the management documentation for each body and, where appropriate, the legislation which established the organisation.

  PUBLIC BODIES

  Development Department

  Executive NDPBs:

  Accounts Commission for Scotland

  Scottish Homes

  Advisory NDPBs:

  Building Standards Advisory Committee

  Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland

  Scottish Valuation and Rating Council

  Tribunal NDPBS:

  Rent Assessment Panel for Scotland

  State Owned Companies:

  Scottish Transport Group

  Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd

  Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd

  Education Department

  Executive NDPBs:

  Community Learning Scotland

  Learning and Teaching Scotland

  National Galleries of Scotland

  National Library of Scotland

  National Museum of Scotland

  Scottish Arts Council

  Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration

  Scottish Screen

  Sportscotland

  Advisory NDPBs:

  Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland

  General Teaching Council for Scotland

  Historic Buildings Council for Scotland

  Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland

  Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland

  Tribunal NDPBS:

  Children’s Panel

  Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department

  Executive NDPBs:

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  Scottish Enterprise

  Scottish Further Education Funding Council

  Scottish Further Education Unit

  Scottish Higher Education Funding Council

  Scottish Qualifications Authority

  Scottish Tourist Board

  Advisory NDPBs:

  Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board

  State Owned Company:

  Students Loan Company Ltd.

  Health Department

  Executive NDPBs:

  National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland

  Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust

  Scottish Medical Practices Committee

  Advisory NDPBs:

  Health Appointments Advisory Committee

  Post Qualification Education Board for Health Service Pharmacists in Scotland

  Scottish Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards

  Scottish Advisory Committee on Drug Misuse

  Scottish Advisory Committee on the Medical Workforce

  Scottish Dental Practice Board

  National Health Service Bodies:

  Clinical Standards Board for Scotland

  Common Services Agency for the NHS in Scotland

  Health Boards

  Health Education Board for Scotland

  Health Technology Board for Scotland

  Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland

  National Health Service Trusts

  Scottish Ambulance Service Board

  Scottish Health Advisory Service

  Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education

  Scottish Hospital Trust

  State Hospitals Board for Scotland

  NHS Tribunals:

  NHS Tribunal

  Justice Department

  Executive NDPBs:

  Parole Board for Scotland

  Scottish Conveyancing and Executry Services Board

  Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission

  Scottish Legal Aid Board

  Advisory NDPBs:

  Central Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace (Scotland)

  Justices of the Peace Advisory Committee

  Scottish Law Commission

  Scottish Police College Board of Governors

  Scottish Records Advisory Council

  Tribunal NDPBS:

  Horserace Betting Levy Appeal Tribunal for Scotland

  Lands Tribunal for Scotland

  Pensions Appeal Tribunal for Scotland

  Rural Affairs Department

  Executive NDPBs:

  Crofters’ Commission

  Deer Commission for Scotland

  Hannah Research Institute

  Macaulay Land Use Research Institute

  Moredun Research Institute

  Rowett Research Institute

  Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh

  Scottish Agricultural Wages Board

  Scottish Crop Research Institute

  Scottish Environment Protection Agency

  Scottish Natural Heritage

  Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland

  Advisory NDPBs:

  Advisory Committee on Sites of Special Scientific Interest

  Fisheries (Electricity) Committee

  Hill Farming Advisory Committee for Scotland

  Scottish Standing Committee for the Calculation of Residual Values of Fertilizers and Feeding Stuffs

  Public Corporations:

  East of Scotland Water Authority

  North of Scotland Water Authority

  West of Scotland Water Authority

Public Holidays

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the definition is of a public holiday.

Mr Jim Wallace: There is no definition of a public holiday in Scotland, although the phrase is sometimes used as a generic term to refer to both bank and local holidays. The dates of both bank and local holidays across Scotland can be obtained from the publication Scottish Public Holidays 2000 , a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. no. 9399).

Public Transport

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, whether the national concessionary fares scheme will include free rail and bus travel for eligible groups on morning and evening peak services.

Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-10099 on 28 September.

Public Transport

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, whether it will make direct payments to transport operators under the new national concessionary fares scheme and, if so, how much it has budgeted in each financial year to 2003-04 for such expenditure.

Sarah Boyack: No.

Public Transport

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, what estimate it has made of additional costs which local authorities will incur as a result of the new national concessionary fares scheme and how local authorities will be resourced to meet any such additional expenditure.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive commissioned consultants, Colin Buchanan and Partners, to carry out a research study into the likely costs of various options for enhancing concessionary fares arrangements. Their report will be made available shortly to the Transport and Environment Committee. The Executive will shortly enter into discussion with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and bus operators to clarify the actual costs associated with the introduction of the enhanced arrangements I announced on 28 September in question S1W-10099. It is envisaged that any additional resources required will be distributed through the GAE mechanism.

Recycling

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what incentives it proposes to introduce to encourage recycling by individuals and local authorities and what is the proposed financial expenditure thereon.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The National Waste Strategy: Scotland , which we adopted in 1999, outlines the ways in which we intend to change the way waste is dealt with in Scotland. A basic principle of the strategy is that local solutions will be developed to deal with the problem of local waste. Eleven groups called Waste Strategy Areas have been set up to investigate the best practicable environmental option for dealing with waste in each area. Each group includes local authorities, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, waste industry representatives, local enterprise companies and other interested parties. The findings of these groups will be presented in Area Waste Plans.

  The Executive is committed to a more sustainable future for waste management in Scotland and, as Sarah Boyack explained in answer to question S1W-10588, has made available considerable resources for the implementation of Area Waste Plans by local authorities, including a Strategic Waste Fund of £3 million this year and £50.4 million over the three years 2001-02 to 2003-04. I expect that recycling will play a major role in the solutions identified in these plans.

  Sarah Boyack also announced in question S1W-10588 that we are contributing £2.1 million to the Waste Resource Action Programme (WRAP) over three years. WRAP will have a business focus and will concentrate initially on market facilitation, promoting investment in recycling, research and information management and the provision of guidance, advice and technical support. In addition, the Executive will continue to fund the Recycled Markets Development (ReMaDe) Scotland programme which takes a hands-on, local approach to identifying and developing markets for recycled materials.

  By tackling the barriers to recycling through WRAP and ReMaDe we aim to lay a sound foundation upon which we can improve Scotland’s poor recycling record.

Renewable Energy

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9662 by Sarah Boyack on 3 October 2000, how many individual responses were made and how far from the nearest wind farm each respondent lived.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The results of the research, Public Attitudes to Wind Farms in Scotland , was based on a total of 430 interviews with individuals in households living within 20km of wind farms in Scotland. Of these, 215 individuals lived within 5km of a wind farm, 108 lived over 5km but less than 10km from a wind farm and 107 lived over 10km but less than 20km from a wind farm. This information is contained in the full report available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre or on the Scottish Executive website at www.scotland.gov.uk/cru.

Rural Transport

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Minister for Transport and the Environment’s statement on transport expenditure on 28 September 2000, whether it will list the 350 new or improved rural transport services referred to ( Official Report , col. 804) and how it monitors the introduction and improvement of such services.

Sarah Boyack: It is for local authorities and the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority to decide how much to allocate to particular services from their Rural Transport Fund Grant. The latest information received from authorities on the number of new and improved rural services (including services continued from 1998-99) which were supported in 1999-2000 in each local authority area is set out in the table below. It is entirely a matter for the authorities concerned to monitor each of the services which have been introduced since 1998-99 and make any changes they consider necessary.

  Research has been commissioned to evaluate the Rural Transport Fund and this is due to report shortly.

  


Authority


No. of rural services 
supported by RTF Grant in 1999-2000




Aberdeenshire


29




Angus


15




Argyll & Bute (outwith SPT area)


27




Clackmannanshire


4




Dumfries & Galloway


41




East Ayrshire (outwith SPT area)


1




East Lothian 


5




Eilean Siar


42




Falkirk


1




Fife


9




Highland


70




Midlothian


3




Moray


13




North Ayrshire (outwith SPT area)


1




Orkney Islands


11




Perth and Kinross


25




Scottish Borders


19




Shetland Islands


32




South Ayrshire (outwith SPT area)


4




South Lanarkshire (outwith SPT area)


2




Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority*


34




Stirling


10




West Lothian


18




  * The Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority (SPTA) are responsible for securing public passenger transport within the PTA boundary. The grant paid in respect of councils within the boundary or that part of a council area within the boundary is passed on to SPTA.

Scottish Executive Buildings

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a record has been kept of the final value of all contracts relating to the construction of its offices at Victoria Quay; in what form the information is recorded; who has access to the records; whether the records have been made public; whether it is intended that the records will be made public at a future date and, if so, when.

Angus MacKay: Victoria Quay was developed by Victoria Quay Ltd, a joint venture between Forth Ports PLC and Godfrey Bradman. The company was responsible for tendering the construction contracts. In 1995 Victoria Quay was purchased by Property Holdings Scotland (part of the Department of the Environment then responsible for the management of the Government estate) for occupation by the Scottish Office. The purchase price was £46.78 million excluding VAT.

  The construction contracts are a matter for Victoria Quay Ltd and have not been placed in the public domain.

  The Scottish Office became fully responsible for Victoria Quay from 1 April 1996 following the recommendations of the Review of the Management of the Government’s Civil Estate making departments directly responsible for the buildings they occupied.

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9737 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 28 September 2000, on what specific date it first received any report from any school or college of any difficulties in the collection of internal assessment data.

Mr Jack McConnell: I am not aware of any report of problems collecting internal assessment data prior to the meeting on 16 March to which Sam Galbraith referred in reply to question S1W-9737.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what triggers the blooming of the algae which cause amnesic shellfish poisoning.

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what governs the severity and duration of outbreaks of amnesic shellfish poisoning.

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the principal controls are on the growth of amnesic shellfish poisoning causing algal blooms; whether storms can dissipate the blooms, and whether there is any prospect of deterrent measures to eradicate the algal blooms.

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how important (i) water chemistry; (ii) nutrient balance; (iii) nitrogen (ammonia and urea); (iv) phosphate, and (v) water temperature are to the propagation of algal blooms.

Susan Deacon: The Food Standards Agency has advised me that algal blooms are natural, cyclic phenomena, and are believed to be influenced by a number of factors including environment, light, temperature, chemical nutrients and the abundance of herbivorous animals and fish grazing on the algae. Research into this issue is currently taking place and the Food Standards Agency has announced that nearly £1 million will be spent on algal toxins, including their causes, over the next three years. Given the nature of the phytoplankton community, the possibility of developing deterrent measures seems unlikely at present. However, it is anticipated that this research may assist in helping predict the likely severity and duration of amnesic shellfish poisoning incidents.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the severity of winter conditions has any effect on the appearance of amnesic shellfish poisoning.

Susan Deacon: There is insufficient scientific data to specify whether the severity of winter conditions has any effect on the incidence of amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP). The growth of the causative organisms is cyclic, reflecting the spring and autumn planktonic blooms which in turn are caused by fluctuations in temperature, light and nutrients.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the early warning signs are of an outbreak of amnesic shellfish poisoning.

Susan Deacon: The early warning sign for an outbreak of amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) is the presence of an algal phytoplankton organism called Pseudo-nitzschia. Scallops filter sea water and consume the planktonic organism which in turn causes a build-up of toxin in the shellfish. Scallops containing large quantity of this toxin, if eaten, cause ASP in humans.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) why the areas covered by boxes closed under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 are the size they are; (b) how often tests are conducted in each box area; (c) how many scallops are sampled from each box area; (d) how often tests are conducted in box areas following closure; (e) what influences the actual sampling point within a box area; (f) whether the Global Positioning Satellite co-ordinates are available for each sample point; (g) whether box area sampling points vary and, if so, in what manner; (h) if half box areas are closed (e.g. Orkney), whether this indicates that samples are collected from more than one location in every box area, and (i) why some box areas remain closed even after readings fall below the safety threshold.

Susan Deacon: The size of the boxes used to monitor offshore scallop grounds have to be large enough to ensure public safety and were set using hydrographic information. The boxes were accepted by the EU.

  The EC Directive (91/492/EEC) requires periodic monitoring of live bivalve molluscs. The Food Standards Agency Scotland (FSAS) ensure that Scottish boxes are monitored throughout the year. When algal toxin levels are above the statutory level the frequency of sampling is increased.

  10-12 scallops are taken as one sample, two of these samples, from separate tows, are taken from each box.

  Following closure of a box by a Food and Environment Protection Act Order, FSAS aims to resample every fortnight until the algal toxin level drops to close to the statutory limit. Thereafter, weekly sampling is requested.

  A commercial dredger that fishes on known scallop grounds within each box undertakes sampling.

  Global Positioning Satellite co-ordinates are not used when sampling boxes off-shore, although the boat involved with the sampling can provide the FRS Marine Laboratory with their position if necessary.

  Samples are collected from known scallop grounds. There may be some variation in sampling points, from trip to trip, within the same relative vicinity.

  Generally two samples are collected from within each box. If land bisects the box additional samples may be collected.

  Boxes remain closed until two algal toxin results, below that of the statutory limit, are obtained with at least one week between each result. However there are some cases where boxes remain closed although the toxin level has dropped below the statutory limit, since other algal toxins may have increased in the area thus affecting the same shellfish species.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what contingency plans are in place for sampling for amnesic shellfish poisoning during (a) bad weather and (b) the holiday season.

Susan Deacon: The shellfish toxin sampling continues throughout holidays and weekends to ensure that public health is protected at all times. However, bad weather will limit the harvesting of samples. Measures are taken to ensure that immediately the weather improves sampling is resumed.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many personnel are involved in (a) sample collection; (b) sample transportation; (c) sample testing, and (d) result verification in relation to amnesic shellfish poisoning.

Susan Deacon: The number of people involved in amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) testing varies depending on the source and origin of the samples. Collection involves sea-going staff and cultivation site owners. Transportation may be by air, boat and or road. Scientific staff undertake preparation, analysis and verification of sample results.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, from each sample collected under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985, how many (a) scallops and (b) queen scallops have been tested for (i) amnesic shellfish poisoning, (ii) paralytic shellfish poisoning, (iii) dieuretic shellfish poisoning and (iv) other toxins.

Susan Deacon: The FRS Marine Laboratory Aberdeen (FRS MLA) has analysed 1,698 samples of bivalve mollusc for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), 1,284 for diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) and 1,969 for amnesic shellfish poisoning between 1 January and 31 October 2000. This composed of:

  Total samples of all scallops tested: i) 1,050 ASP; ii) 322 PSP, and iii) 77 DSP.

  Queens scallops accounted for: i) 81 ASP; ii) 71 PSP, and iii) 72 DSP.

  Given the aim to minimise the period for which boxes remain closed through intensifying monitoring as boxes approach safe limits, the Food Standards Agency estimates that some 80% come from areas subject to controls under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985. No other toxins are monitored.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the scallop is particularly susceptible to toxin contamination while the queen scallop appears to be entirely resistant.

Susan Deacon: The Food Standards Agency has advised me that it is not known why some species appear to accumulate toxins more readily than others do. Toxins from the phytoplankton on which the molluscs feed accumulate in the animals. Once the intake of toxin producers ceases, the molluscs metabolise the toxins and eliminate them from their tissues. Scallops appear to have a much slower rate of elimination than other mussels and queens, meaning the toxins are retained for longer periods.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what shellfish molluscs other than scallops are tested for toxins.

Susan Deacon: Samples of all bivalve molluscs harvested for human consumption are tested for the presence of toxins. The molluscs tested include: mussels, oysters, scallops, queens, razor fish and cockles.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will explain the high performance liquid chromatography testing procedure and in particular how long the testing actually takes and what the margin of error is for this procedure.

Susan Deacon: High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) is used to analyse shellfish samples for domoic acid, the chemical causing amnesic shellfish poison (ASP). The toxin is extracted from prepared samples using aqueous methanol, then partially purified and fully isolated from the purified extract by pumping through an absorbent column within the HPLC machine. Chromatographic techniques separate domoic acid from compounds such as lipids, fatty acids, amino acids etc present in the extract. Finally, the toxin is quantified and identified by ultraviolet spectrometric detection, by comparison with standard reference domoic acid. The procedure meets EU requirements and is United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited. The standard deviation of domoic acid analyses undertaken in a recent inter-laboratory comparison exercise covering the UK and Ireland was <12.5%. FRS Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen currently test approximately 100-150 shellfish samples per week for ASP.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what occurs when a shellfish gonad is too small to form an adequate sample for testing.

Susan Deacon: The gonads from 10-12 scallops are used to provide a sample for analysis for algal toxins, never a single gonad. Even after spawning there is sufficient material present from 10-12 scallops to permit analysis.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether gonads from more than one scallop are ever mixed together and then tested.

Susan Deacon: In an attempt to provide a representative sample, 10-12 gonads from different scallops are amalgamated.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the normal length of time is from the collection of a sample to testing for shellfish poisoning and how the samples are transferred to Aberdeen.

Susan Deacon: Samples collected as part of the routine monitoring programme are sent to the FRS Marine Laboratory Aberdeen (FRS MLA) by first class post in containers provided for the purpose. Samples arrive within two days of posting. Samples are collected by chartered fishing vessels over fairly large areas. Samples may be caught and kept aboard the boat for 2-3 days before being landed. Once landed, they are immediately collected by FRS MLA staff and transported to Aberdeen. Testing is generally initiated on the day MLA receive the sample.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any laboratories other than Aberdeen that are capable of conducting high performance liquid chromatography testing under the direction of the Fisheries Research Service; whether there are any plans to use local laboratories to conduct testing, and which other laboratories conduct external evaluation and verification of the practices and results of the Fisheries Research Service.

Susan Deacon: FRS Marine Laboratory Aberdeen cannot oversee the analysis being done by commercial companies. The Food Standards Agency contract out the statutory monitoring analysis and any laboratory may tender. All National Reference Laboratories, including FRS Marine Laboratory Aberdeen (the UK National Reference Laboratory), participate in comparative analysis trials.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the Fisheries Research Service testing of gonad only is different from the end product testing of gonad and white meat mashed together.

Susan Deacon: The Food Standards Agency has advised me that toxins accumulate to differing levels in the different edible parts of the scallop. Proportionate toxin levels in the gonad are likely to be considerably greater than in the white meat. Testing an amalgam of white meat and gonad mashed together will therefore lead to a lower result than the current gonad only test. As it is possible to consume only the gonad, it is the result of the gonad test which must be used to ensure the protection of public health.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the procedure is for closing a box area under the Food and Environment Protection Act; how long it takes for such closures to be communicated to scallop fishermen rather than their shore-based representatives; whether the method of communication used is adequate; whether the advent of the Food Standards Agency has shortened the time taken to deliver the information, and whether it is satisfied with the agency’s handling of communication during the current outbreak.

Susan Deacon: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) inform fisheries organisations and other interested parties when a Food and Environment Protection Act (FEPA) Order is being drafted by the Scottish Executive, following results above the statutory limit for algal toxins. This provides advanced warning of impending closures ahead of the Orders coming into force. Industry officials then communicate this information to fishermen at sea. The FSA has expanded the list of organisations and individuals to whom this information is communicated directly, but industry has also been asked to make suggestions on how communication links might be improved. Updates are also available via the agency’s telephone hotline and website.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts are being made to reduce the period between a recommended closure and a legal closure of a box area under the Food and Environment Protection Act.

Susan Deacon: The Food Standards Agency aim to place a Food and Environment Protection Act (FEPA) Order as quickly as possible to ensure public safety. To help minimise delay, a draft Order is prepared by the Scottish Executive Solicitor’s Office Legal Service while ministerial clearance for the Order is sought. Communications between parties involved in the making of FEPA Orders has been improved through more efficient use of email and fax, though ways of making further improvements continue to be investigated. Some improvements have also been possible with regard to the statutory process, which help avoid the potential problems of FEPA Orders expiring during parliamentary recess.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken by the Food Standards Agency to ensure confidence in the scallop fishing industry.

Susan Deacon: The Food Standards Agency ensures that all information relating to the incidence of high levels of algal toxins is conveyed accurately and rapidly to the relevant parties. Food and Environment Protection Act Orders (closures and revocations) are completed as quickly as possible. Meetings with officials and visits to the Fisheries Research Services Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen, have been arranged for industry representatives, and a comparative test between products from a commercial processor and the Marine Laboratory has been carried out to allow consideration of claims from industry that toxicity may be reduced by processing.

Shellfish

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the appearance of amnesic shellfish poisoning is cyclical and whether there is any trend evident in its appearance.

Susan Deacon: The Food Standards Agency has advised me that amnesic shellfish poisoning is caused by phytoplanktonic algae creating blooms which are fed upon by bivalve molluscs such as scallops. The growth of these causative organisms is cyclic, therefore the poisoning also tends to be cyclical. However, given the relatively short period over which monitoring for ASP has been carried out, there is insufficient evidence from which to derive specific seasonal trends in the occurrence of amnesic shellfish poisoning.

Shellfish

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will submit a full report to Her Majesty’s Government on how another year’s cessation of fishing for scallops would impact on the fishing communities and whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government to raise at the next Council of Ministers the importance of establishing a tiered system of testing scallops.

Rhona Brankin: I announced to the Rural Affairs Committee on 31 October that I would commission a full economic analysis of the nature and location of the impact of the closures. I said that this work would also focus on maximising the industry’s potential and its scope to adjust to new circumstances including possible changes to the testing regime.

  The issue of establishing a tiered system for testing scallops is a public health matter and not appropriate business for the Fisheries Council.

Shellfish

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the possible introduction of a tiered system of scallop testing would require a new enforcement regime and, if so, (a) whether such a regime would be more stringent in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK, (b) what measures such a regime might include, (c) whether it would be necessary to introduce such a regime via a Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) and (d) whether it will bring forward as soon as possible any such draft SSIs or guidelines for consideration in order to have any new regime in place for the opening of the 2001 scallop season.

Susan Deacon: The Food Standards Agency has advised me that the possible introduction of a tiered system of scallop testing and processing is likely to require a very robust enforcement regime in order to continue to ensure public safety. Enforcement controls, whilst being flexible enough to take account of local circumstances, will continue to be comparable across the UK. Advice is being taken on the suitability of existing statutory provisions for any tiered system. Should a new Scottish Statutory Instrument be necessary, the Food Standards Agency will ensure that there will be full and timely consultation.

Smoking

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the additional resources for the NHS from tobacco revenue, announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, will be directed towards smoking cessation treatments.

Susan Deacon: On 20 August, I announced the priorities for funding from the Scottish allocation of extra tobacco tax revenues. This included a doubling of investment to £2 million a year for the National Health Service in Scotland to help more people quit smoking, targeted at those living on low incomes.

Taxation

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the operation of IR35 in the information technology sector in Scotland and its effect on growth and employment in this sector.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Tax issues are a reserved matter. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including tax matters.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance is available to promote Scotland as a venue for international conferences.

Ms Wendy Alexander: This is a matter for the Scottish Tourist Board. I will ask the Chairman to write to you.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information is available about the modes of travel to Scotland of conference delegates attending international conferences at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre and the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

Sarah Boyack: None.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the proposed costs to develop the Ossian project will be spent on consultancy fees, including those for lawyers, financial advisers, accountants, computer consultants and any other professional services.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: In the current financial year, consultancy fees will amount to 9% of the planned cost of developing the project,   including spend on securing the PPP.

Transport

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) in response to the DETR consultation paper on proposed new regulations for vehicle number plates, with particular regard to the use of national identity symbols on vehicle number plates.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has indicated to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions in any response to the consultation paper on proposed new regulations for vehicle number plates that it supports the use of the letters "SCO" on vehicle number plates.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has indicated to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions in any response to the consultation paper on proposed new regulations for vehicle number plates that it supports the use of the letters "GB" on vehicle number plates.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues.

Waste Management

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement on page 19 of Making a Difference for Scotland: Spending Plans for Scotland 2001-02 to 2003-04 on waste disposal, what resources will be made available to local authorities in each financial year to 2003-04 for "increased investment to secure modern facilities"; whether these sums will be separately identified in level III budget tables; whether funding will be made available to local authorities on a pro rata or competition basis; in what form resources will be made available to local authorities; what criteria will be laid down for any competitive bidding process or awards of specific grants or borrowing consent, and whether local authorities will be eligible in principle to obtain assistance for meeting the one-off costs of lining landfill sites.

Mr Sam Galbraith: I refer the member to the answer Sarah Boyack gave to question S1W-10588 on 25 October 2000.

Water Authorities

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether public authorities within its general responsibilities can apply for exemption from the Competition Act 1998 and whether it has any plans to make representations to Her Majesty’s Government for such exemptions to apply to the water industry.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Applications to the UK Government to be exempted from the provisions of the Competition Act 1998 may be made by any public authorities for which the Scottish Executive is responsible. No such application has been made in the case of the water authorities.

  The Executive does not believe that an exemption for the water authorities is necessary, as, within the right framework of legislation, competition will work to the benefit of the authorities’ customers by delivering innovation, greater efficiency and improved services. Its policy therefore is to ensure that the authorities are able to compete effectively, while providing through the planned Water Services Bill a framework that safeguards public health, the environment and social objectives.

Water Charges

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total amount of money raised by water and sewerage charges (a) in Scotland and (b) in each water authority area (i) was in each year for which figures are available and (ii) will be in each year for which estimates are available, specified in cash and real terms in each case.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Revenue figures, in £ million, are given in the table below:

  





1996-97


1997-98


1998-99


1999-2000


2000-01




East of Scotland Water: 
At 1999-2000 prices


161.5
175.3


173.2
182.8


194.0
199.0


207.7
207.7


232.5*
227.4




North of Scotland Water: 
At 1999-2000 prices


120.2
130.5


128.0
135.1


137.8
141.3


154.0
154.0


206.0*
202.4




West of Scotland Water:
At 1999-2000 prices


243.1
263.9


247.4
261.1


265.7
272.49


278.7
278.7


314.0*
307.1




Totals: 
At 1999-2000 prices


524.8
569.7


548.6
579.1


597.5
612.8


640.4
640.4


752.5*
735.9




  *Current estimates

  Revenue levels for 2001-02 are unknown, but will fall within the revenue cap of 12%.

Water Supply

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is for permanent improvements to the water supply in Sanquhar, Dumfriesshire.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Investigations are continuing to determine the extent of works that must be undertaken to provide a permanent solution. The current estimate of the cost of the investment necessary to achieve a permanent solution is £950,000. This estimate will be refined as outstanding investigations are completed.

Water Supply

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what total cost has been incurred by West of Scotland Water during September and to date in October to resolve problems with the water supply in Sanquhar, Dumfriesshire.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The current estimate of the cost for the remedial measures is £30,000.

Water Supply

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to conduct research or a feasibility study on the best use of water which is surplus to requirements in Scotland in view of the increasing demand for water throughout the world.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Executive has no present plans of this nature.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Scottish Parliament Staff

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer,  further to the answer to question S1W-10467 by Sir David Steel on 6 November 2000, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will provide a breakdown of the gradings and level of seniority of the staff currently on secondment from the Scottish Executive.

Sir David Steel: The grading of the Scottish Executive secondees working in the Scottish Parliament are set out below. The ranking is from most senior (C2) to most junior (A3). The list does not include the Directors. The terms and conditions of service of the Directors (with the exception of the Director of the Holyrood Project) have not yet been agreed and the individuals are, therefore, still subject to the transitional arrangements for the provision of staff from the former Scottish Office. This situation will be resolved in the context of the current grading, structure, efficiency and pay review for all Corporate Body staff.

  


Grade


Number of staff in 
post




C2


3




C1


9




B3


9




B2


8




B1


11




A4


2




A3


7




Total


49